


New Horizons

by AceAthena



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Bad Puns, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, no het we die like men, of all the parts of this game I thought were stupid, potential side romances, this is basically a fix-it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 21:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9091597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceAthena/pseuds/AceAthena
Summary: “Wasn’t really how I was planning on spending this morning General.”
Cutting out a new life for herself, North would rather put her past behind her and push forth into life in the commonwealth. But there isn't much she can do when her past claws its way out of its frozen coffin and starts off old and new problems.





	1. Long Dawn

Bullets whizzed through the air, finding purchase in tree bark and the soft mud, with dull splintering thuds. Moisture  dripped from the gun barrel, from the morning fog that coasted through the tree line from the bay, chilling her fingers around the trigger. It obstructed long range view, but that was only a problem about seeing what was yet to come, when fighting with patchwork short gun, range wasn’t really the biggest priority.

North pressed herself hard up against the fallen log that substituted for their cover, bits of bark and moss coming lose and staining her blue coat. She could feel the damp of the air seeping into her whenever she pressed too hard on any surface. Preston covered her back as she reloaded, Raiders closing in from every side as they materialized out of the vapor.

  


“Wasn’t really how I was planning on spending this morning General.” The man behind her remarked, an edge of sass in his tone as he aimed his gun over the log and fired with the satisfying buzzing thud of laser musket.

  


“Oh, what were you expecting,” North huffed out her own laugh as she snapped her clip into place and was ready to take aim into the raiders. Copper pipe rifles and rusty pre-war pistols rained on her as she shot a spray into the fold, “Continental breakfast at The Plaza?” Punctuating her sentence with another shot. Her pip-boy dinged, one more enemy taken out.

  


“Well maybe I just had high hopes.” Preston quipped back. North never voiced the appreciation that he took all of her old world sayings in stride, but it was still there. She doubted The Plaza even still existed, and if it didn’t it was probably a half rubbled heap full of ferals in ruined fancy clothes. She idly thought about a show starring Macaulay Culkin as a lost ghoul in New York as she slowly chipped away at the raider force in front of them.

  


The fire fight dragged on as cold and wet seeped into their clothes, eventually no more figures appeared from the fog. Slowly they creeped forwards, until North could check her pip-boy radar and confirmed that there wasn’t anything else waiting for them out there.

The base was a bunch of shacks and tarps held together with rope and blood stains, a few chems they could pawn of stuck in an old lunch cooler and a stash of ammo and gun in a crate, some of the only things kept high and dry in this place. Apparently the years of radiation and general wasteland hell had bred out a sense of smell and weak stomachs, it was the only explanation she could think of for why raiders could sleep next to rotting corpses and festering blood a half foot from their beds, that were already half sunk into the mud.

They take their haul and hike it back to the Drive In they somehow convinced people to live at, and meet with the settlers there. The mist was far from clearing up yet, but the rise of the tall wall of white that was the old movie screen proved an infallible landmark.   

There was a water cache in the middle at least, as well a few surrounding ponds, and the flat pavement made construction easy. That pavement also made it impossible to farm until it was dug up or planters put down, which was damn labor intensive, but still, there was corn and tatos growing in the soil around the watering hole, unbothered by the tar saturated soil. The crops were as tough and hardy as the settlers out here, they had to be.

  


“The Raiders shouldn’t bother you anymore, the minutemen are always there to help.” Cheesy as it sounded, but weather worn settlers didn’t take much stock in fancy words anyways. They’d proven themselves and made the promise to do it again.

  


“Thanks ma’am, and for what it’s worth, we’ve decided to join up with what you’re starting, anything we can do to return the favor?” A few thoughts passed in her mind, most of them on maybe checking the area for raiders before setting up a farm. None of those were anything she said.

  


“Just try to stay safe, I’ll set you guys up with a radio, if anything happens just broadcast it out, somebody will come and help.” She said and shook the man’s hand, and left them with a spare box of .38 ammo she had in her pack. The radio would be a bit more effort however.  
  
“I still can’t figure out where you learned how to do that.” Preston shook his head, sitting a short distance away, sitting a mix-matched chair and ottoman set, cleaning the mud and wet out of his musket. North was wiring together an old but functioning transistor radio to the mic of a smashed CB she had found intact. It was a little more effort to turn a one way radio into a multi-way, but finding working parts in two hundred years of rot and weather damage wasn’t something easy to come by.

  


“Picked it up here and there.” She shrugged, looking over at his very unimpressed face and smothered out a laugh between her lips. Not the answer he was looking for apparently.

  


“I’ve fixed all kinds of radios before, I know which parts you can swap out, so I just kind of frankenstein it all together,” North made a vague hand gesture of smushing her fingers together limply and shrugged again. “It just works.” That at least got a chuckle out of Preston, and she continued to work as he kept working on his gun.

  


Luckily the Drive-In wasn’t too far from the Red Rocket, after a brief stop off at Trudy’s shop, they headed back to the workshop base and North got to work. Best to drop off whatever meager loot they had managed to salvage and hadn’t split with the settlers now before anything else decided it wanted a bite of them.

  


Once she was done they could take the radio back on their way back down to Diamond City, to sell the amassed amounts of chems and ammo North had stashed in the trunk in the office that was now her bedroom.

She spent half and half her time between the workshop and her home back in Sanctuary. When the nights got long on repairs it was just easier and safer to rest at the station and to trek back across the rickety bridge to her old home. Besides, the more she repaired the old building the more it started to feel like a new home. Her bed in Sanctuary was just a little too much of a reminder of how hollow the streets felt now.

A new life, a new home, and new friends was how she was getting started. It was either adapt or die in the commonwealth, and she hadn’t thrown herself to the molerats yet, so she guessed that meant she was adapting.

Preston pulled her out of her thoughts as he cleared his throat. She hadn’t moved for a few minutes North realized, lost in her own thoughts. She cleared her throat back and got back to work. Sometimes that was all you needed company for out here, somebody to pull you back out of your own head.

  


The radio was finished in about two hours, plus the three they lost to stopping and talking to the settlers and dealing with the raiders. That was five hours of daylight they weren’t getting back on their trip. At least they had started early. The safe bet would be to just head back to sanctuary or even just weather the night at The Drive In and head back to Diamond City in the morning, but they were already too low on resources and couldn’t waste the time they had left in that day. Resources got more scarce the more they had to split up and ferry between two settlements; North had mouths to feed and buildings to fix and nothing came free in the commonwealth. No rest for the weary.

  


Heading back down the roads, they dropped off the radio and with packs full of valuables and guns full of rounds the quest to Diamond city started. By the look of the sun it was about noon now, hopefully there would still be enough light by the end of their journey to actually make it into Boston, according to her pip-boy it was nearing the middle of november. The days were getting colder and shorter. Not great weather for helping people set up farms, but little other choice was there but let them starve. She didn’t even know if winter was possible in this blasted out irradiated hell, could it even snow? And if it could, would it glow?

  


“Hey General, we might want to take this pass up here.” Preston said, breaking the silence as they same to a fork in the road. The one in front of them dipped forwards towards a swampy pod, probably full of bloatflies and worse, the safer call would be to follow Prestons suggestion.

  


“What, scared of getting your feet wet?” North teased, but followed him up the broken asphalt over the upper pass. He had plenty more experience with the wasteland than she did, sometimes it was better just to follow his lead, despite how much he protested saying he was the leader here. The distant sound of buzzing faded out as they moved away from the swap. “Probably a good choice anyways, as my husband used to say: ‘that’s how you get trench foot’.” She chuckled and shook her head, looking out over the forests in front of them.

  


“Actually, if we kept going that way we’d cut straight through Lexington.” Preston said, adjusting his hat a bit as he glanced over at who was technically his superior officer with a bit too knowing of a look. North huffed out a small confirmation with shrug, but the skin on the back of her neck still crawled.

  


“Good call Garvey.” A short sharp nod was all she gave after that, and they continued on. A few wild dogs and the occasional radstag dotted their path, but nothing they couldn’t handle. Helped that they complimented each other nicely in combat as well, Preston stayed mid range and laid down suppressive fire while North blew everything that got too close down with the shotgun.

  


“You don’t talk about your husband that much.” Garvey noted, after North looked over the dead shell of what looked to be an old camp, slipping an old lighter and wrench into her pack. Old junk, but she could probably find some use for them when they got back.

  


“Guess I don’t, maybe there’s a reason for that?” She said tilting an eyebrow up over at him and watched the neutral look on his face drop.

  


“Sorry, I didn’t mean to- I just meant- you bring him up but you never talk about him” Preston elaborated. “And if you ever needed to do that, well, I’m here.” North’s face shifted, a small smile on her face as she bumped against his arm, letting out a deep sigh.

  


“Thank you, if I ever need to get out my sappy gross feelings, I’ll let you know.” It wasn’t likely she would, but the offer was enough. The loss of Nate hadn’t been an easy one, but the most part was living with the guilt of the relief that nagged at her under the sorrow. That she knew he was better off now, and an even deeper, sickening intrusive thought, that she was better off free of him.

  


Their marriage had been one of convenience, not love. That wasn't true, there was love there, but not the kind you build a marriage on. The love of comrades, survivors, friends. Nate had been all of those with her, and before that her enemy, but never once her lover.

  


“Well maybe keep all the gross to yourself and I’ll deal with the sap.” Preston suggested, a quirk in his smile that made a bit of tension slip out of North’s shoulders. “But in all seriousness, I am there for you.” He said with a nod of his head, and North felt certain he meant every word.

  


Preston had a genuineness about him that had grabbed North from the moment she met him in that sinkhole of a museum. A man who threw his lot in with a stranger on first sight, because if anything brought people together it was fighting off raiders.

The rest of their trip wasn't that eventful, a few more fights and more trudging through the crumbling skyscrapers of downtown Boston. The distant sound of shouting and fun fire made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, but they trudged on through to the green gates.

The concrete corridor leading up to the city was always something of a marvel to North, she had always wanted to know what it was like to watch out into a stadium that large into the sea of green grass and green seats. But instead of legions of fans, the light at the end gave way to a sprawling city that had taken route in the ruined field. Why wouldn’t they though? A huge, flat empty space surrounded by huge walls, easy to protect and easy to stay independent. And all that power and protection, had amassed in the worst ramen place North had ever been to. It was also the last, so after bartering with Solomon and Arturo for what supplies they had to sell, and using most of those caps to buy out half of Myrna’s shop, she sat down with Preston for a much needed rest, just as every other shop was closing up for the night, with the exception of those who can afford robots to run their stores though.

  


“So, what are we doing after this?” Preston asked as North ordered two bowls of noodles for them. Plenty of options, a few impeded by the heft of the two packs they had full of desk fans and copper wire.

  


“There’s a place I’ve been meaning to stake out for awhile for somewhat of as settlement, near enough to diamond city, fortified already, it’ll take some work for crops but it would be an amazing trade center.” She said, putting her foot down over her bag as a scavver walked a bit too close to her haul.

  


“And by fortified already, you mean somebody is living there.” Preston countered, taking his bowl from Takahashi and starting to dig in. “And those somebodies are probably raiders.”  
“Of course.” North shrugged, doing the same. The noodles were a bit overcooked and the broth was too salty, but it was food and decent carbs and nutrients which is what they needed doing the work they did. “What, you expected it to be easy?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

  


Preston snorted ot a small laugh and gave her a shrug back. “I don’t know General, but if that’s the plan, we should probably wait until tomorrow.”

  


“Wait until tomorrow for what?” The pair turned, their conversation interrupted directly on the beat it paused. An old synth was blocking out their moonlight as he walked up from behind them.

  


“Hey Nicky, we’re just planning out another land grab, figured people around here might want somewhere less expensive than diamond city to set up.” North said, sifting in her seat and patting the one besider for the detective to join them.  
“Back at it again are ya? Well, if you’re waiting until tomorrow, could I ask you for a favor tonight?” One brow raised as he sat and leaned against the counter, pulling a pack of smokes out of his pocket. North had asked on their last outing together, no Nick couldn't breath, but he found the motion of smoking soothing anyways.

  


“I do owe you, what’s up?” She asked, sitting up a bit straighter, giving Preston a quick glance as he sat there listening.

  


“I don’t think you do, but nows not the time to get into that” He waved a hand, bare metal fingers catching the strings of light over head. “I have a friend of mine who I think’s gone missing.”

  


“Who’s your friend.” North asked.  
“If somebody needs it, we’re happy to help.” Preston added, setting down his bowl for a moment.

  


“Her name is Piper Wright, she run the paper in town. I heard word that Mayor McDunnough got a little heated over her last article and locked her out of the city.” Nick elaborated as he let the smoke of his lit cigarette seep out from his mouth, the excess finding it’s way through the tears in his neck and jaw. “Happens sometimes, nothing to worry, but according to her little sister, some man she’d never seen before helped her sister back inside, the two talked, and Piper hasn’t been back since, that was over a week ago.”

  


“Her sister is that kid who pushes the papers, isn't she?” North raised an eyebrow, turning to take a look at the building down on the route back to the entrance, “Publick Occurrences’ emblazoned across their billboard sign.

  


“Exactly, Piper is the only family that little girl has left, and she’s known for starting trouble, but not disappearing into the night with strange men.” The Synth adjusted his coat and stood up, putting down a tip on the bar table. “I think Piper might be in way over her head here and we _need_ to find her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First fic, just putting it out there


	2. Out and Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> perspective switch

A reporter, a sniper, and a dog walk into a bar. Ben figured that could be the start to the world’s worst joke, especially since he was the punchline. There wasn't much place else to go besides the Third Rail anyways, none of his companions were eager to set foot outside of Goodneighbor until they were sure the super mutants that had taken hold outside the city gates were dealt with.

 

“I think we should be able to sneak around it.” MacCready said, hunched over one of Ben’s shoulders, pointing down at his pip-boy.

 

“Yeah, and have an entire avalanche of scrap fall over on us.” Piper snorted out, and fiddled with one of the buttons until Ben pushed her hand out of the way.

 

“Stop touching it, look, I think Mac’s right.” The younger man let out a triumphant huff. “But he’s also a punk dumbass if you think I’m hauling all three of us and a dog over a roadblock ten feet high without alerting the hulking monsters down the street.”

 

“Hey!”

 

Ben raised a hand to quiet the two of them and zoomed in a bit more on his screen, getting a street view of the surrounding area. “I think there might be tunnels running under this part of the city that haven’t collapsed, there's a few subway entrances we passed.” He said, pointing around a few of the darker green areas. “And I hear Bobbi No-Nose is looking to hire protection for an excavation job of hers.” He said, leaning back, and taking a swig of his drink.

 

The beer was either yeasty and disgusting from two hundred years of sitting in a bottle, or it was just some garbage wasteland brew that probably had molerat in it in some form or another. Ben didn't really care to know which one.

 

“I don’t like the look we got from her Blue, I think she might be up to something.” Piper said, sitting back in her own chair, half sipped bottle being rolled between her hands.

 

“How much is she paying?” McCready asked, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table in front of them before Ben knocked them off, giving him a stern look.

 

“Three hundred caps, after the job is done, didn’t give much else for info but implied splitting loot at the end.” He said with a tilt of his head, scratching the back of Dogmeat’s head with one hand as the dog sat beside him, the thump of his tail against the concrete floor was a small comfort.

 

RJ let out a low whistle and took a sip of his nuka cola, Ben thought the stuff was disgusting, had seen the gut rot it caused any frequent drinker of it. Nora had loved the stuff. But he was also sitting there drinking fermented dirt, so he wasn’t really one to talk. There wasn’t much else to drink out in the commonwealth, so who was he to be the asshole that said the guy shouldn’t enjoy a soda before it inevitably killed him.

 

“I don’t want to say much more, but her plan can get us back to Diamond city without having to bother any super mutants” He said, nodding to Piper.

 

After she had helped Ben get into Diamond City, and interrogated him about his life and accused him of being a vault dweller, he didn’t really have it in him to tell her to stop following him. He liked her, somewhat. Her tenacity and sharp eye had been helpful out in the field, and had probably saved his damn life when he was too scoped in to notice the monsters around them.

After they had finally gotten into Goodneighbor, fleeing for their lives, Ben’s problems had just gotten worse. The detective Piper had _sworn_ had gone on a trip out to the city, was nowhere to be found, and he only person who would know, they mayor, was currently out on business. With pride and body bruised, Ben attempted to take Piper back to Diamond City, only to be run back into Goodneighbor by Super Mutants and ghouls. They had decided to buckle down for the night, got a hotel room and hit up the local bar in the morning and found MacCready. A gun for hire and by the wear on his rifle a decent marksman.

Even with the extra help and dent in his wallet, all three couldn’t push past the mutants. Or four, if you counted the dog, which he kind of did. Dogmeat was the best friend a sniper could have, what better than have someone quick and fast out in the field holding down your enemies so you  could blow their heads off? Not much he figured, scratching the dog again.

 

“I need to get you home Piper, and justify paying two hundred and fifty bucks out the nose for this punk.” He jerked his thumb over at MacCready.

 

“Hey, I could have charged you twice that and been worth it.” The marksman huffed over the opening of his bottle. “... let's say if we took the job, how much of a cut would I be getting.”  
“Eighty twenty my favor.” Ben smirked at the offence in RJ’s face and reveled in it for a moment before interrupting whatever the other was about to splutter out. “Three ways, one hundred for each of us, and if there’s more loot we split three ways.” Everyone pulled their weight, everyone gets a cut.

 

“Alright then boss, you point, I shoot.” Mac nodded, finishing up the rest of his flat soda.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Alright so we agree that next time anyone comes asking for us to ‘helping their business ventures’ we just shoot them.” Ben asked, wiping sweat and blood from his cheek as he looked down at Bobbi and whoever it was she had helping her, he had forgotten his name already, Mel or something?

Either way he was dead, same with Bobbi.

 

“Sounds like a better deal than this was.” MacCready spat out as he clutched at his leg, blood seeping out from where he had been caught in Bobbi’s crosshairs. Ben dropped down onto a knee beside him and started looking over his wounds.

 

“Sit still, it’s a flesh wound, your fine.” The older man huffed at him, looking at the torn and burnt flesh at the side of the snipers leg. He’d seen worse. He didn’t bother boring anyone with that story as he threw his pack down and started pulling out supplies. Bandages, stimpack, a bit of med-x for the pain, and a bottle of 200 year old vodka for disinfectant. He’d done fine with about the same during the war, though that vodka was probably only three years old.

 

He could feel the eyes staring into he as he worked, Piper, most likely in disappointment, and whoever this Fahrenheit girl was, probably in something else.

 

“Did you really have to kill them Ben we could have just-” Pipper cut her own self off, shaking her head. “I thought you didn't like shooting people.”

 

“I don’t,” Ben said firmly, as he tied off the bandage to MacCready’s leg. He wanted to stitch it out there wasn't much he could do in a decrepit warehouse in god knows where. It would scar, but he wouldn't bleed to death. “I also don't like watching my friends get shot.” Helping Mac to his feet he let the younger man lean against him until he could right himself.

 

He had never been much of a talker, couldn't charm or sway anyone to save his life. So when shit went south he relied on his smarts, or his marksmanship. That's all he had in the long run anyways.

 

“Bobbi is better of in the ground.” RJ shook his head, turning head to spit on the ground. “Call it a mercy, god knows Hancock would have done worse.”

 

Piper didn't respond, she was too busy trying to get a cigarette to light, fingers trembling over the flip lighter.

 

“Your friend is right, but I do wish you hadn’t just shot her in the head, the leg maybe, I would have still liked to deal with her.” Fahrenheit shook her head, swaggering up to the three of them. “But it’s over, she won’t be tricking anyone anymore.”

 

Ben gave her a long stare, long enough for her to shift and give him an odd look before he responded. “Not much of a sadist, I prefer clean kills.” He shrugged, and looked around the warehouse. “So, how far are we from Diamond City?” He asked, rubbing the back of his head as he stepped over to Piper, asking for her lighter so he could get his own cigarette going. At the rate the three of them were smoking these things he was going to have to hope they came across an abandoned tobacco plant.   
“It’s about a straight shot north west of here, should be less chance of ghouls if you skirt around the pond on the vault side and take the guarded route back into town.” She shrugged, giving the three of them over. Ben’s eyebrows raised and he moved quickly to push that motion back down. “Not that I’d suggest going back to Diamond CIty, you’re better off in Goodneighbor.”

 

“Well, we thank you for your hospitality, but I want to go home.” Piper said knocking a bit of ash onto the ground.

 

“And we better get you there, thanks for not shooting us on sight.” Ben nodded to the guardswoman and the team of three plus dogmeat made their exit.

 

“We’re making a detour, aren’t we.” MacCready sighed deeply, dragging his leg under him as he lagged behind slightly. “Don’t give me that look Boss, I saw you when she said vault,what are you thinking?”  
“Thinking about getting back to your roots Blue?” Piper chimed in with a slight giggle.  
“Yeah yeah, shut it, Piper you live around here, what do you know about… Vault 81?” Ben asked, looking down at the map on his pip-boy, and the near by map marker.

 

“What do you mean?” Piper asked. “You’re a vault dweller, I thought thats where you were from.” She said with a slight frown. “That’s the vault I’ve ever heard of that isn’t abandoned.”

 

“Uh no.” Ben cleared his throat, standing up a bit straighter. “From a different one, just answer the question.”  
Piper looked suspicious, and he wasn’t expecting anything less from her. Ben wasn’t much for talk any way you split it, but the reporter had a way of poking questions that revealed way more than they should when answered. Just good at her job.

 

“They trade, sometimes, mostly vault novelties.” She shrugged. “Maybe they’ll let us in to get boy wonder here patched up.”   
“I am right here.”

 

“We can try it.” Ben nodded, and looked back at RJ. He was going to slow them down for sure, a walking target with that limp in him.  Out in the open like they were now, he didn’t even want to think what would happen to the if Bloodflies enters the equation. He looked the smaller man up and down for a moment, pausing to note how he squirmed under his gaze but her brushed it off as being uncomfortable with such and icy stare.

 

He grabbed the man’s arm, ignoring protest as he pulled it over his own shoulders and helped prop him up against his side. “Piper take the front, I want someone good at talking dealing with them.” he said simply, and after a brief moment of grumbling and more giggles they set off.

 

“I could haul myself after the two of you.” MacCready complained halfway past the pond, leg a bit more stable now that he was used to walking on it, but Ben was not liking just how pale he looked. Dogmeat was darting between bushes up in front of them as Piper through a stick for him.   
“I don’t want you getting left behind.” Ben replied simply, glancing down at him. The ghost of what could have been a smile on his lips. “I paid good money for your help, so I’m getting my money’s worth out of it.” He shrugged Mac’s arm into a better position, which was a bit hard with the height difference.

“Heh, right.” RJ let out a light laugh as he straightened his posture with the pull of his arm. “I’m a better shot than anyone you’ll find out here, injured or not.” Ben doubted he would find a shortage of adults with stunted growth from childhood famine who knew how to shoot a gun in the Commonwealth, but he didn’t say that.

 

“Of course you are.” Ben huffed out a small chuckle, and patted his back with his other hand that was resting around his waist. “If you shoot half as good as you shoot off that mouth the Commonwealth better look out.”

 

“Jerk.” Mac almost looked like he was going to say something else before they were interrupted, Piper waving to them from up the slope to the cave the vould was situated in.

 

“Hey Blue! We’re here!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all three people who gave my first chapter kudos are my favourite people ever


	3. Missed Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heading North

Goodneightbor wasn’t anything like what North was expecting, but, she didn't know what she was expecting in the first place. Not nice, especially not from Nick’s description, but it also wasn't quite as bad. Functioning at least, the people there were as on edge as anyone, but at least they weren't shooting their own kin like back in the great green jewel. 

  


That didn't mean there wasn't any death though, oh no, North’s great introduction to the town was the Mayor in all his Sunday in the 1700’s best, and stabbed a man right in front of them. Preston had to grab North’s arm to try to stop her from reflexively pulling out her gun, eyes locked on the ghoul, not the man threatening them. Her heart was pounding fast and hard, and it took her a moment to unclench her muscles. 

  


“John, I swear you gotta show off to every pretty thing that walks through the door.” Nick gave a disapproving nod, though the smirk on his face didn’t fade. 

  


“Nicki, almost didn’t see you there, blended in with the scrap heap behind you.” Hancock replied in a low, absurdly husky drawl. 

  


“Are we really having banter with the guy who just stabbed someone in front of us?” Preston looked over at North and Nick, the former too busy picking the gun up off the ground from the guy on the ground. “General!”   
“What?” North said, calmly looking over the pistol in her hand. “Look, I can be morally upstanding the rest of the time, but he’s dead, his shit’s fair game.” She responded unloading the gun and shoving the whole of it into her pack, letting out a deep breath, at least scavenging was relaxing.

  


“Let me guess, a new case of yours?” Hancock asked, looking back over at Nick as he stared disapprovingly at his companions and their thorough murder of his dramatic comebacks. 

  


“Somewhat, they’re just here to help.” Nick sniffed, and looked around the market place, too much attention was on all of them at the moment and that wasn’t good for business. “Let’s talk about it inside, alright?”

  


“Whatever you say Nicki.”

  


The state house was probably a nice building at one point, a place North could have boringly trudged up the absurd amount of stairs on a high school field trip and the smell of dust would only be slightly less. Now it was a much nicer mayor’s house slash drug den, much more interesting in her opinion. 

  


“So.” Hancock said once they were in his office, kicking his feet up on his desk after sitting down. “What’s the problem?”

  


“Piper Wright, the girl who runs the Publick Occurrences has gone missing, sightings put her with a stranger heading here.” Nick explained, pulling out a cigarette, North found it quite comical how many traits he kept as a synth, he didn’t even have lungs but he still liked the weight and feel of the roll in his hand. 

  


“Wouldn’t know, haven’t been in town for few days, had to get some uh, business sorted out in the fens and had some issues getting back because of the super mutants.” 

  


“We didn’t see any mutants on the way here.”

  


“They were scared off by some underground activity that was going around, they’ll probably be back in a few days once they get wise that there isn’t anything there anymore.”

  


“Underground activity?” Nick tipped his hat up.

  


“Some idiots working for Bobbi No-Nose were blowing holes in old subway tunnels to get to Hancock’s warehouse stash.” A voice sounded from the doorway, Fahrenheit making her way inside looking the group amassed in front of the mayor's desk. “Funnily enough, I heard they took the job so they could get past the mutants blocking the way out.” 

  


“Anybody who’s been in Good Neighbor more than once knows not to go within three feet of Bobbi, did you happen to catch what any of these people might have looked like?” Nick asked, twirling the cigarette in between his fingers. 

  


“One of them was MacCready, you know the kid, right? Asked you for a favour last time you were in town.” The bodyguard said, walking over to lean against Hancock’s desk. “The other one was some red headed vaulty, Mac’s new employer, he was wearing a jacket over the suit so I couldn’t see the number, but he had the pipboy and everything.” She said, eyeing one on North’s wrist. “And some other girl, red trenchcoat and a newsie hat, pretty cute.”

  


“Black hair, determined, randomly pulls snacks out of her pockets?” Nick asked, but it didn't seem like he needed a response. “It's our girl, but I take it they didn't stick around long after all that.” 

  


“No, probably smartest thing they did all day.” Fahrenheit snorted. “I got the feeling they were probably headed to that vault that's a bit north west of here though.”

  


“Looks like we didn’t come all the way out here for nothing.” North nodded, and pulled up her pipboy, looking over the map of the area. The closest vault was a more good distance west of where they were, past Diamond City and some of the more dangerous parts of Boston proper like the Commons. “Well, it’s a good few kilometers out west, plus they have a headstart on us of, how long ago was this?”

  


“Yesterday evening.” Fahrenheit responded. 

  


“About twelve hours good head start on us, they could have cleared the vault and moved on by now.” North sighed, taking off the general's hat she had nicked off one of the mannequins at the museum of freedom to run a hand over her tightly pulled back hair. 

  


“They might have tried to circle back into Diamond City.” Preston suggested.”If they went through all that trouble to dig out of here, they probably just swung by the vault to resupply before heading out.”

  


“It’s not a bad bet, but if we’re wrong, we lose even more time tracking them down just to get back there if they went somewhere else.”

  


“Besides Good Neighbor and Diamond City, there isn’t much in the way of settlements or even good scaver finds out to the southwest, so what would a reporter, mercenary, and vault dweller need out in a bunch of trees?” Preston hiked the sling of his laser musket back higher on his shoulder, North couldn’t deny he had a point, heading right back they way they came while they’re still was a clear path cut through it would be a lot easier than following in the other team's footsteps.

  


“If you want more information on where they’re headed, they spent a fair bit of time in the bar, you could ask around.” Fahrenheit said. “If Charlie didn’t hear anything Magnolia might have.”

  


“Well, we’ve darkened your doorstep for long enough, thanks for the information, John.” Nick tipped his hat and the three made their exit, Preston hanging back to walk just a step behind North. 

  


“You didn’t say all that much back there.” North noted to him, her tone imply that if he wanted, the comment could be left at just that. 

  


“Didn’t have much to say.” Preston tipped his hat down slightly. “You and Mr. Valentine there are much better at persuasive talking than I am.” North let out a loud snort, causing a few people as they exited the statehouse to glance in their direction. 

  


“Are you implying you aren’t, I mean.” She tried to keep her words in order as the giggles kept bubbling up. “Garvey, you talked me into being the general of the minutemen in under three minutes, you convince people to trust with their liveliehoods and lives on a near daily basis, you are persuasive as hell, it’s just Nick and I here have a bit more practice with well, getting the right information out of people, you could probably get someone to spill their guts to you just on how likable you are.” She nudged him with her elbow as the two of them followed Nick down into the Third Rail. Preston rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks taking on a ruddy hue.

  


“Proving my point right there General, way too good with words.” 

  


“Think about this, between the two of us, recruitment will be a breeze.” 

  


After the security checkpoint, the rest of the bar opened up to the most surprisingly normal looking bar North had seen in all of her time out in the wasteland. Not a bunch of chairs in a hotel waiting room, or a couple bottles of two hundred year old bourbon on what used to be her kitchen counter. The bar was manned by a Mister Handy unit, pretty good chances that if he saw something, he’d remember it. 

  


“I’ve had a few chats with Whitechapel before, it might be best if I just get a one on one with him.” Nick said, stepping closer to North with a nod of his head and she gave him one back, guiding Preston over to an open table. 

  


“You trust him quite a bit.” Preston noted after a beat of silence. North was about to give him a challenging look before he held a hand up. “And that's not a bad thing, I’ve heard of Nick before, he’s a good guy, but there’s just no… there’s no hesitation, between either of you.” 

  


“I don't really get what you’re implying.” North chose her words carefully, Preston knew more about her life than she told most people, but there were still some things she wanted to keep private. 

  


“It’s- I guess it's not important.” He said, taking her reluctance as he shifted in his seat and jerking in a sharp movement suddenly. The minuteman reached under himself and pulled out a bottle cap, grumbling slightly and pushing it into his pocket. “But you do know what I mean.”

  


“I do.” She relented, and crossed her legs, leaning back in her chair as she tapped a few fingers over her lips. “I don’t trust you less Preston, you’ve been straight with me since we met, Nick and I- it’s hard to explain.” North rubbed the back of her neck.

  


“It's fine general, I shouldn't haven’t brought it up, it's not fair to start questioning why you trust someone more than me.”

  


“Preston I don’t, I do trust you, it's just hard to explai-” She trailed off initially to find her words, trying to chose them to reassure her partner but not betray too much, and found any sense of linguistics fall straight out of her head as the clack of heels from the VIP room strolled straight out onto the floor, passed the two of them and tugged North’s full attention along with her. 

  


The bright sheen of a well kept sequinned dress, somehow still holding all of them despite the well over hundred years that probably had gone between its uses. Either a dedicated restoration or a goddamn miracle. The ruby red tint caught the dull lights of the bar, reflecting against rusting metal and the ever cloud present cigarette smoke. 

  


“General?” Preston’s voice was a little distant at the moment, and North couldn't find herself the effort to turn and face him as she watched the woman take the small stage and step up to the microphone. A sassy swing line started and when she actually heard the woman sing she was gone. 

  


“Between you and Hancock it’s a miracle anything gets done around here when someone pretty walks by.” Nick said as he sat down next to the two of them but North didn't react besides a noncommittal noise. “Come on, you need to focus.” Nick snapped his fingers in front of her face as she jerked back from the closeness. 

  


“Yeah, what was it we were doing again?” She asked, straightening herself out with a loud clear of her throat. Preston was giving her a bit of an upset face, but there was a hint of amusement behind it. 

  


“The girl we came here looking for, Piper.” Nick moved, going to sit down next to Preston. “Whitechapel Charlie did see her in here, with a red headed vault dweller and RJ MacCready, according to the chatter they were looking for Hancock, in order to find me.” He said, tapping metal fingers against his chin. North snapped back to attention, leaning into the conversation.

  


“The plot thickens.” She remarked, wondering why they would go out of their way to find Nick in Goodneighbor. “They were here for about a week, I thought you were in town a week ago? The whole let's take on some easy cases right after being kidnapped.” She hadn't dragged his sorry ass out of that subway vault just for him to go missing all over again. 

  


“It was an easy case, when I first took it.” He scoffed and adjusted himself, era impulsive human like actions going through a body of hydraulics and gears. “Ended out of town for a few days, took me near Good Neighbor, had to drag some unruly kid out from playing raider with his gang of friends.” 

  


“We need to get you a cellphone or something Valentine, maybe life alert? You keep on getting dragged into things over your head.” North quipped at him. 

  


“I’ll have you know I survived a good hundred years out here by myself, I don't need a young upstart playing damsel in distress with me.”

  


“I have no idea what either of you are talking about, could we keep this less old world speak?” Preston leaned in, looking in between the two of them.

  


“Oh yeah sorry, we’ll keep it more inclusive, how would commonwealth scaver call Nick old.” North asked, giving the minuteman her full attention. 

  


“Well, there's a few ways, ‘more rust than bolts’, ‘Rad Wrinkled’, ‘One foot in a scrap heap’.” Preston said very matter-of-factly, counting them out on his fingers.

  


“Oh I like that first one, that's good.” North nodded, as Nick let out the world's longest sigh for a man who had no lungs.

  


“Can we focus on the missing woman we came here to find, I swear, I’d have an easier time herding bloatflies than keeping you two on track.” Nick griped at them, Preston had the decency to look a little embarrassed, not much, but just a little at being chastised

  


“We always have time to make fun of you, but come on, if they're headed back to Diamond City, we need to be making tracks now before Super Mutants decide to start moving in on the city again.” 

  


“We do, but North, a word first?” Nick motioned down the hall as they all stood up, North stalled, looking over at Preston as words an explanation stuck in her throat. 

  


“It's fine, General, I’ll be here.” He nodded to her, but his words didn't help with the tight feeling in her throat. North walked over with the detective until they were relatively alone.

  


“So, what is it?” She asked, glancing behind them.

  


“I’m going to start this with I know that you probably don't want to hear this, but you need to.” Nick adjusted his hat, pulling it down a little lower as he adjusted his collar. 

  


“You gonna tell me or are we gonna beat around a few more bushes?”

  


“Look, kid, Whitechapel gave me a clearer idea of who our vaulty is and I couldn't help thinking of who he reminded me of, red hair, glasses, permanent scowl, drank like he was dying and smoked like a chimney but called Nuka Cola gut rot, bossed his traveling companions around like an irate school teacher.” He listed off, shaking his head. “I know you said what you saw, but-”

  


“No.” North said sharply, lips drawn into a thin line as she stared at Nick, something flickering behind her eyes, either anger or pain. “I saw him Nick, there was a bullet through his skull.” She suddenly felt very antsy, like she need to move, work with something. She started fiddling with her hands as Nick caught her arm. 

  


“Nora.” She couldn't breath as Nick kept talking. “We still need to find out if it is him.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on my true life experiences of seeing Magnolia for the first time


End file.
